124

THE ETHICS OF THE VEDA^TA*

[CHAP. vir,

It may at once be conceded/ however, that passionate love there
may not be at a stage which pre-supposes the possession of true know-
ledge (Gnosis, WT) but love it certainly is,—only ennobled by ^TR', by
which is understood spiritual enlightenment. It is spiritual, but i-fc
is none the less love, nor is it less intense, because there is no display
of emotion in it. " Love must be guided and taught of knowledge
. . . This love so maketh a man one with God that he can never
more be separated from Him.952 It is Love in its purity and, fulness-
Devotional or what is called emotional Love is considered by the
Veddnta as a means of acquiring spiritual knowledge.3 And there
cannot be the slightest doubt that devotion, practised in the attitude
and under the conditions prescribed in that behalf, must bring in
spiritual enlightenment and ultimately, of a surety, lead to salvation.^

ascension or union with Godhead—all
these become intelligible when thus
interpreted. It is interesting to note, in
this connexion, what Dr. Charles Cuthbert
Hall, a missionary preacher who came out
to India on a lecturing tour, said in his
lecture on Mysticism. After paying
a compliment to the profundity of Indian
thought, and referring to a Sinhalese
student at Oxford who had told him that
he could understand the Bible because it
was a truly oriental book, containing the
tliought and life of the East, the learned
Doctor proceeded to observe, "I was
nmoh struck "with this remark of my
friend, especially because since visiting
the East four years ago, and coming, in
sweet affection, near to the mode of
thinking and feeling that governs Eastern
minds and hearts, I have read my Bible
with new intelligence and fresh delight."
See ' Advocate of India', 8th January
1907.

mind. Instead, it is the practice of
realizing and affirming the presence of
the Infinite, in all things, which has been
its constant inspiration,. We aro en-
joined to see whatever there is in the world
as being enveloped by God.

I bow to God over and over again who is
in fire and in water, who permeates the
whole world, who is ir^ the anuua/t
crops as well as in the perewzial trees,

Can this be God abstracted from the
world ? Instead, it signifies not merely
seeing Him in all things, but saluting
Him in all the objects of the world.
The attitude of the God-conscious man
of the Upamshads towards the universe
is one of a deep feeling of adoration.
His object of worship is present every-
where. It is the one living truth that
makes all realities true. Tins truth ia
not only of knowledge but of devotion.
<( Namo namah,^ we bow to Him every-
where, and over and over again. It is
recognised in the outburst of the Eiahi,
who addresses the whole world in a sudden
ecstacy of joy: Listen to me. Ye sons of
the immortal Spirit^ Ye w7w live in the
heavenly abode, I have known the Supreme
Person, zvhose light shines forth from
beyond the darkness. Do we not find
the overwhelming delight of a direct
and positive experience, where there is
not the least trace of vagueness or pas-
sivity ? "—ED.

2 ' Theol. Germ.,' p. 159.

3 Shankar's Gloss on Bhag. Git, XIII,

See e^.Bhag Git., Oh. XII.

1 In this connexion, it is interesting
to read the views of Rabindranath. Tagore,
in his "Sadhana," pp. 16-18, where that
eminent poet and. philosopher says;

4t Some modern philosophers of Europe,
who are directly or indirectly indebted
to the Upamshads, far from realizing
their debt, maintain that the Brahma of
Indiais a mere abstraction, a negation of
•all that is in the world. In a word, that
the Infinite Being is to be found nowhere
except in metaphysics. It may be that
such a doctrine has been and still is
prevalent with a section of our country-
men. But this is certainly not in accord
with the pervading spirit of the Indian